A. Except in cases of emergency, no person or entity shall open, damage, tear up, make any excavation in, or bore under any street, alley, public sidewalk, or other public ground within the city without a contract with the city or without first obtaining a written permit from the city clerk. (Ord. 298, 4-25-1995)
B. Under this chapter, an "emergency" shall exist if breakage or malfunction of a water or natural gas main or pipe, sanitary sewer or electrical or telephone wire or conductor disrupts service and requires the immediate opening of any street, alley, sidewalk or other public ground. In such emergency, the utility company responsible for such service may proceed to make necessary repairs without first obtaining a permit, but shall give verbal and written notice of such emergency repairs, as soon as possible, to the city police department, to the city administrator, or to the city engineer. The disruption of cable television service shall not be considered an emergency under this chapter. Any work beyond that needed to restore disrupted service shall be done only after obtaining a permit and otherwise complying with this chapter. (Ord. 298, 4-25-1995; amd. 2008 Code)